Is Wagyu ground beef better than regular ground beef?
For flavor and juiciness, yes. Wagyu ground beef has fine marbling all through the meat, so burgers and meatballs stay juicy and taste richer. Its fat is higher in oleic acid, the main fat in olive oil. It is not leaner than regular ground beef, and it costs more. Our American Wagyu ground beef starts at $9.99 per pound.
5 Reasons Why Wagyu Ground Beef Is Better Than Other Types of Beef
From the Cross Creek Ranch team in Hesperus, Colorado. Updated October 2026.
Wagyu ground beef is ground beef from Wagyu cattle. Ours comes from the same Full Blood Wagyu and American Wagyu cattle we raise for steaks on our ranch near Hesperus, Colorado. Here are five differences you will notice when you cook with it.
1. It is juicier
Wagyu stores fat inside the muscle as fine marbling. When the beef is ground, that fat is spread evenly through the meat. Burgers and meatballs stay moist, even when they are cooked through.
2. It tastes richer
Wagyu fat melts at a lower temperature than the fat in most beef. It coats the meat as it cooks and carries more flavor. Salt and pepper are all a Wagyu burger needs.
3. The fat is a different kind of fat
Wagyu ground beef is not leaner than regular ground beef. It has about the same total fat, or slightly more. The difference is the type of fat. Wagyu is higher in monounsaturated oleic acid, the main fat in olive oil. Oleic acid makes up roughly 50 to 55 percent of the fatty acids in Wagyu, compared with 35 to 40 percent in conventional beef (Frontiers in Animal Science, 2024). In a Texas A&M study, men who ate high-oleic ground beef from Wagyu-influenced cattle had higher HDL (good) cholesterol than men who ate conventional ground beef (Gilmore et al., Journal of Nutrition, 2011).
4. It needs little or no oil
Because the fat is already in the meat, you can cook Wagyu ground beef in a dry, hot pan. Smash burgers are a good test. Press a ball of Wagyu ground beef thin on a very hot griddle, and the fat forms a crisp, browned crust. Our smash burger recipe shows how.
5. You know where it comes from
Supermarket ground beef can blend meat from many animals and many farms. Ours comes from our own cattle, raised near Hesperus and cut at our family's USDA processing plant in Cortez, Colorado.
How to cook Wagyu ground beef
- Keep it cold until you shape it, so the fat stays in the meat.
- Handle it gently. Overworked ground beef cooks up dense.
- Season the outside just before it goes in the pan.
- Cook burgers to 160°F, the USDA safe temperature for ground beef.
- When you brown it for chili or tacos, pour off some of the fat but keep a little for flavor.
Shop Our Wagyu Ground Beef
Raised in Colorado, shipped to your door. Free 2-day shipping on orders over $200.
Frequently asked questions
What is Wagyu ground beef?
It is ground beef made from Wagyu cattle. Wagyu stores fat inside the muscle, so the ground meat has fine, even marbling. That makes it juicier and richer than regular ground beef.
Is Wagyu ground beef better than regular ground beef?
For flavor and juiciness, yes. It is richer and stays moist when it is cooked. It also costs more. Our American Wagyu ground beef starts at $9.99 per pound.
What is Wagyu ground beef good for?
Burgers, smash burgers, meatballs, chili, lasagna and tacos. It works in any recipe where you want the beef to stay moist.
Is Wagyu ground beef lower in fat?
No. It has about the same total fat as regular ground beef, or a little more. Its fat is higher in oleic acid, the same type of fat found in olive oil.
What temperature should Wagyu burgers be cooked to?
160°F, the USDA recommended internal temperature for ground beef.
Related: Why does Wagyu look so fatty?
Here is a breakdown of our Wagyu ground beef’s nutritional information, measured per 4 oz raw:
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 320 |
| Total Fat | 27 g |
| Saturated Fat | 11 g |
| Trans Fat | 1 g |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1 g |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 14 g |
| Cholesterol | 75 mg |
| Sodium | 70 mg |
| Total Carbohydrates | 0 g |
| Protein | 19 g |
| Vitamin A | 0 % |
| Vitamin C | 0 % |
| Calcium | 0.3 % |
| Iron | 14 % |
Representative values for Wagyu ground beef, per 4 oz raw, based on USDA and published nutrition data, and will be updated with Cross Creek Ranch’s own lab analysis. Nutrition varies by cut; see each product page for cut-specific numbers.
